Malachi2
King James Version · Public Domain
1And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.
2If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.
3Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.
4And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
5My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
6The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.
7For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
8But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
9Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.
10Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?
11Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.
12The Lord will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the Lord of hosts.
13And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.
14Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
15And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
16For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.
17Ye have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Malachi 2.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The priests reproved for neglecting their covenant. (1–9). The people reproved for their evil practices. (10–17).
vv1-9
What is here said of the covenant of priesthood, is true of the covenant of grace made with all believers, as spiritual priests. It is a covenant of life and peace; it assures all believers of all happiness, both in this world and in that to come. It is an honour to God's servants to be employed as his messengers. The priest's lips should not keep knowledge from his people, but keep it for them. The people are all concerned to know the will of the Lord. We must not only consult the written word, but desire instruction and advice from God's messengers, in the affairs of our souls. Ministers must exert themselves to the utmost for the conversion of sinners; and even among those called Israelites, there are many to be turned from iniquity. Those ministers, and those only, are likely to turn men from sin, who preach sound doctrine, and live holy lives according to the Scripture. Many departed from this way; thus they misled the people. Such as walk with God in peace and righteousness, and turn others from sin, honour God; he will honour them, while those who despise him shall be lightly esteemed.
vv10-17
Corrupt practices are the fruit of corrupt principles; and he who is false to his God, will not be true to his fellow mortals. In contempt of the marriage covenant, which God instituted, the Jews put away the wives they had of their own nation, probably to make room for strange wives. They made their lives bitter to them; yet, in the sight of others, they pretend to be tender of them. Consider she is thy wife; thy own; the nearest relation thou hast in the world. The wife is to be looked on, not as a servant, but as a companion to the husband. There is an oath of God between them, which is not to be trifled with. Man and wife should continue to their lives' end, in holy love and peace. Did not God make one, one Eve for one Adam? Yet God could have made another Eve. Wherefore did he make but one woman for one man? It was that the children might be made a seed to serve him. Husbands and wives must live in the fear of God, that their seed may be a godly seed. The God of Israel saith that he hateth putting away. Those who would be kept from sin, must take heed to their spirits, for there all sin begins. Men will find that their wrong conduct in their families springs from selfishness, which disregards the welfare and happiness of others, when opposed to their own passions and fancies. It is wearisome to God to hear people justify themselves in wicked practices. Those who think God can be a friend to sin, affront him, and deceive themselves. The scoffers said, Where is the God of judgement? but the day of the Lord will come.
Key Words
כֹּהֵן: literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)
זֶה: the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
מִצְוָה: a command, whether human or divine (collectively, the Law)
לֹא: not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
אִם: used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
שׂוּם: to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
עַל: above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
לֵב: the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
נָתַן: to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
Cross References
Malachi 2God's covenant of peace given specifically to Phinehas/Levi, ensuring an everlasting priesthood.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Moses' blessing on Levi, illustrating the fear and dedication required by the original priestly covenant.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Nehemiah's contemporary condemnation of the priests for defiling the covenant of Levi.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Jesus references God's creation of one husband and one wife, confirming monogamous intent.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The standard covenant curses of Deuteronomy that God threatens to send upon the faithless priests.
Supported by JFB
Historical record of post-exilic Jews marrying foreign women and profaning the priesthood.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The foundational creation account establishing the covenant of marriage where two become one flesh.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The ignominious threat of being swept away like dung, denoting utter rejection and contempt.
Supported by JFB
God's standard for true prophets/priests: to stand in His counsel and turn many from evil.
Supported by JFB
The catastrophic consequences when priests reject knowledge and fail to keep the law for the people.
Supported by Matthew Henry
New Testament comparison: ministers are ambassadors (messengers) of Christ, as priests were to Yahweh.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The divine principle that those who despise God will be lightly esteemed, fulfilled in the priests.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The Mosaic regulation of divorce, contrasted with Malachi's declaration that God hates divorce.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Wordplay on 'messenger' (Malachi), highlighting the priest's office as God's official envoy.
Supported by JFB